It’s always an interesting experience every 4 years when the World Cup comes around, because all of a sudden you get a brief glimpse into the cultural backgrounds of everyone you know (plus a whole lot of people you don’t know). Their true colours are revealed through a kaleidoscope of world flags hanging in windows and fluttering on cars, proudly pledging allegiance to one of the 32 teams competing in this year’s tournament.

Living in Canada, this is partially a result of the fact that Canada itself never has a competitive soccer team of their own, so people must search their family tree in order to find another side to root for. But it’s also because Canada is so damn multicultural — a fact you don’t truly appreciate until you drive through Toronto during the World Cup.

I know that some people find it annoying and anti-Canadian to have all these other countries being worshipped, if only temporarily, but perhaps some of the haters just need to get in touch with their own roots. Let’s face it, we’re a country of immigrants, and almost all of us have families that came from somewhere else at some point in time. I see the World Cup as a fun celebration of our diversity, and a reminder that there’s a world beyond these frigid Northern wastes that we have many connections to.

That’s why I say, during the World Cup, go ahead and let your freak flag fly!

Well, at least that’s what I would have said up until Holland’s loss to Portugal. I no longer want to hear about any of your damn countries anymore! Take those flags down already, you’re all a bunch of cheaters anyway! I have a sudden urge to start following the Robot World Cup instead.